25 February 2011
South Africa has extended the use of its National Transport Information System (eNaTIS) to Namibia to help reduce car theft and cross-border crime between the two countries.
This means that authorities from the both countries will easily be able to access driver and vehicle details. This will also prevent stolen vehicles being registered in both countries, and enable the authorities to hold drivers accountable for traffic violations in either country.
The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding in Pretoria this week to formalise the agreement.
Transport Minister Sbu Ndebele signed the memorandum on behalf of the South African government, while his Namibian counterpart, Errk Nghimtina, represented the Namibian government.
Ndeble said the system would help a great deal in fighting cross-border crime in the two countries: “We will assist in providing technical assistance in the implementation of the system,” he said.
SADC roll-out plans
Ndebele said the Namibian authorities will be responsible for financing the system, and that plans were under way to have the system implemented in all Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries.
When asked about the cost of implementation of the system, Nghimtina said they were still negotiating with service providers.
eNaTIS is a system which provides for the registration and licensing of vehicles. It manages and records applications for and authorisation of driver’s and learner’s licences.
It is also a law enforcement tool used to ensure that the details of vehicles that are stolen are circulated in order to prevent irregular and fraudulent re-registration of such vehicles.
Source: BuaNews
